Author Topic: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner  (Read 4123 times)

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« on: February 22, 2021, 01:31:40 »
Does anybody own a really early, i.e.: 1961 300SE?
« Last Edit: February 23, 2021, 21:05:12 by MikeSimon »
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

Vander

  • Full Member
  • Silver
  • ****
  • USA, OH, Columbus
  • Posts: 347
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2021, 01:34:25 »
I own a 1964 W112.
1969 280SL

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2021, 01:41:55 »
Thanks. Will not do. Trying to locate a 1961. Or a 220 1961/1962 with power steering option.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

PeterPortugal

  • Full Member
  • Gold
  • *****
  • Portugal, Faro, Lagoa
  • Posts: 524
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2021, 15:08:05 »
Mike, try asking on fintail.org.
1963 220se Cabrio
1968 280se Coupe

Vander

  • Full Member
  • Silver
  • ****
  • USA, OH, Columbus
  • Posts: 347
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2021, 15:47:51 »
What is it exactly that you are looking for?
1969 280SL

ja17

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, Blacklick
  • Posts: 7308
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2021, 16:18:39 »
I have some, contact me if you like.
Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1969 Dark Olive 280SL
2002 ML55 AMG (tow vehicle)
2002 SLK32 AMG (350 hp)
1982 300TD Wagon turbo 4spd.
1963 404 Mercedes Unimog (Swedish Army)
1989 flu419 Mercedes Unimog (US Army)
1998 E430
1974 450SLC Rally
1965 220SE Finback

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2021, 20:22:35 »
O.K., here is what I need.
As some of you may know, I worked for "Vickers" the manufacturer of the power steering pump for the W113. I stuck my neck out and promised to write an article about p/s at Daimler Benz for the
Pagoda magazine. It is coming together (very slowly). My old records show that Vickers started manufacturing the pump in late 1962 for the 1963 models.
The first car that had p/s standard was the W112 300SE in 1961, with options in the 220S,SE.
These early pumps should have tags that show that they were manufactured in the US, before production was moved to Bad Homburg for 1963.
I would like to get a shot of one of these early pump tags. Anyone?
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

Rolf-Dieter ✝︎

  • Platinum
  • ******
  • Canada, ON, London
  • Posts: 3683
    • Best Pagoda Site second to none!
DD 2011 SL 63 AMG and my 69 Pagoda 280 SL

ja17

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, Blacklick
  • Posts: 7308
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2021, 00:03:57 »
I'll take a look
Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1969 Dark Olive 280SL
2002 ML55 AMG (tow vehicle)
2002 SLK32 AMG (350 hp)
1982 300TD Wagon turbo 4spd.
1963 404 Mercedes Unimog (Swedish Army)
1989 flu419 Mercedes Unimog (US Army)
1998 E430
1974 450SLC Rally
1965 220SE Finback

Vander

  • Full Member
  • Silver
  • ****
  • USA, OH, Columbus
  • Posts: 347
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2021, 00:32:17 »
I just looked, all of mine say Bad Homburg. Hopefully Joe can help
1969 280SL

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2021, 12:42:11 »
Mike is this any help?

I Googled ----> https://www.google.com/search?q=Pump+Tags+for+Vickers+Pump+on+300SE&client=safari&hl=en-US&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjfx-7G2f7uAhWHHM0KHRH4AgUQ_AUIDCgC&biw=1072&bih=670&dpr=1

and a lot of images came up, have a look.

Dieter

Thanks, Rolf-Dieter!

The vast majority of these pumps are industrial hydraulics or mobile pumps. Many V10 or V20 truck units. Anything painted blue is not a passenger car power steering pump. Anything on a vehicle manufactured after late 1962/early 1963 came out of Bad Homburg
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE owner
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2021, 21:04:23 »
Well, thanks to Gary (GM) and one of his contacts, I learned that power steering as an option did not start with the "Fintails" in 1961 but even earlier in 1957 with the 300d W189.
So, if someone has one of these, that will do too.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

wwheeler

  • Vendor
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, TX, Dallas
  • Posts: 2862
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2021, 21:21:25 »
Boy, I wish I had P/S on my '60 220SE Ponton coupe! Steering is a bear when parking.

Mike, I belong to the IPOG Ponton group and have posted a message on that site and see if anybody has one of these.

Wallace
« Last Edit: February 23, 2021, 21:27:28 by wwheeler »
Wallace
Texas
'68 280SE W111 coupe
'60 220SE W128 coupe
'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 440+6

hansr433

  • Associate Member
  • Senior
  • ***
  • Italy, Tuscany, Torrita di Siena
  • Posts: 219
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2021, 14:44:10 »
Boy, I wish I had P/S on my '60 220SE Ponton coupe! Steering is a bear when parking.

Mike, I belong to the IPOG Ponton group and have posted a message on that site and see if anybody has one of these.

Wallace

Wallace, try parallel parking a W111 Cabrio without power steering....I finally threw in the towel and had a shop in the UK install an electric system whose origins are Japanese, I believe.  Works a lot better and is barely visible for the purists.
Hans
1963 220SE Cabrio (Exterior: Navy MB 332, Top: Haarz Navy, Interior: 482P Sahara Beige)
1963 BMW R69S

wwheeler

  • Vendor
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, TX, Dallas
  • Posts: 2862
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2021, 17:18:19 »
I have heard about those electric units and that they work pretty well. Also have those for Pontons.

Mike, I did hear back from someone on IPOG and trying to retrieve his message. Hopefully good news. 
Wallace
Texas
'68 280SE W111 coupe
'60 220SE W128 coupe
'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 440+6

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #15 on: February 24, 2021, 20:36:18 »
Thanks, Wallace!

Hans: Your 1963 220SE Cabrio was available with P/S, why didn't you retrofit it with original parts?
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

wwheeler

  • Vendor
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, TX, Dallas
  • Posts: 2862
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2021, 18:15:44 »
I heard back from the guy on IPOG. He does indeed have a 300d and will try to get a picture of the pump label. I told him you were interested to see if it had made in US on it.
Wallace
Texas
'68 280SE W111 coupe
'60 220SE W128 coupe
'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 440+6

parklandmb

  • Full Member
  • Junior Level
  • *
  • Canada, Alberta, Parkland County
  • Posts: 20
  • MB classics forever
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2021, 19:05:10 »
I have a 60' 300d let me know if you need a picture or any info.

Sven
1956 190sl
1959 300d Adenauer
1967 250se coupe
1969 Porsche 912
1969 BMW 2002
1970 280sl
1973 280se 4.5
1983 300sd
2006 E320 CDI

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2021, 19:36:17 »
Yes, Sven. the more the merrier. If your 300d has p/s and you can take a picture of the pump tag???
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

parklandmb

  • Full Member
  • Junior Level
  • *
  • Canada, Alberta, Parkland County
  • Posts: 20
  • MB classics forever
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2021, 23:29:06 »
Here are a few pics of the vickers PSP in my 60' 300d.
I could not find a tag on the pump but there is some info on the casting of the pump.
My 300d is a European model but it says on the PSP reservoir in english "USE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID TYPE A"
Could this be an indication that this pump was made in the USA since you would expect instructions written in german?
Hope this helps,
Sven
1956 190sl
1959 300d Adenauer
1967 250se coupe
1969 Porsche 912
1969 BMW 2002
1970 280sl
1973 280se 4.5
1983 300sd
2006 E320 CDI

wwheeler

  • Vendor
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, TX, Dallas
  • Posts: 2862
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #20 on: February 26, 2021, 00:55:14 »
Mike,

The person I know has the same casting number and no tag. Looks like they may have not had a tag on these early models. If it was made in the US, Americans were not as persnickety about tags as the Germans.
Wallace
Texas
'68 280SE W111 coupe
'60 220SE W128 coupe
'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 440+6

wwheeler

  • Vendor
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, TX, Dallas
  • Posts: 2862
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #21 on: February 26, 2021, 02:02:02 »
Here is the picture from IPOG. Looks about the same.
Wallace
Texas
'68 280SE W111 coupe
'60 220SE W128 coupe
'70 Plymouth Roadrunner 440+6

MikeSimon

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, North Royalton
  • Posts: 2392
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #22 on: February 26, 2021, 14:48:07 »
Thanks so much, guys. This is definitely an early US made pump. Vickers in Bad Homburg used aluminum tags.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner

m300cab

  • Associate Member
  • Silver
  • ****
  • USA, Pennington New Jersey
  • Posts: 361
Re: Looking for early 300SE or 300d owner
« Reply #23 on: March 13, 2021, 19:37:14 »
I used to drive a 108 with no power steering and it was a stick.
my starter went  once. I pushed started it for a week!
also no one could beet me in an arm wrestle due to my crazy forearms.
thanks to no power steering!
 in NYC. back parking, and getting into our family garage in Brooklyn.
it was a tight turn and my Dads' Buick Lesabre was in there!
Michael Parlato